34.5% of People Aged 60+ Received Additional Winter Vaccination... "Active Participation Needed"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The quarantine authorities have repeatedly urged additional COVID-19 booster vaccinations, stating that people aged 60 and over account for the majority of severe cases and deaths.

Winter season vaccine booster dose stock photo. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As of the 26th, the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Team announced that the winter additional vaccination rates were 61.8% for infection-vulnerable facilities and 34.5% for those aged 60 and over.

Analyzing weekly COVID-19 occurrence trends and winter additional vaccination rates, severe cases and deaths are concentrated in the age group of 60 and over, but the vaccination participation rate among those in their 60s is not high. The average daily number of severe patients and new deaths among those aged 60 and over during the third week of this month were 425 (88.7%) and 255 (93.4%), respectively.

In particular, the winter additional vaccination rate for those in their 60s was only 25.3% of the eligible population, which is lower compared to those aged 80 and over (48.0%) and those in their 70s (44.0%).

Jiyoungmi, Director of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said, "The majority of severe cases and deaths caused by COVID-19 infection occur in those aged 60 and over," and added, "the most effective way to protect yourself, your family, and your neighbors' safety and health is vaccination, so we ask the health-vulnerable groups, especially those aged 60 and over, to actively participate in the winter additional vaccination."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.